Insulating and acoustical covering



1944- P. J. STIEGER INSULATING AND ACOUSTICAL COVERING Filed April 29, 1942 Patented Aug. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INSULATING AND ACOUSTICAL COVERING Philip J. Stieger, St. Paul, Minn.

Application April 29, 1942. Serial No. 440.941

1 Claim.

My invention relates to an improvement in in sulating and acoustical covering material particularly useful in covering ceilings and walls. sound chambers, cabinets, and the like,

Many different types of insulating materials have been used for the purpose of deadening sound and providing insulation. Such materials are often porous or fibrous in nature. and present a rough porous surface. While such materials are advantageous as sound deadening or acoustical purposes, they have often been found difiicult to clean. Paints or other coatings have been provided for such materials, which render the materials more readily washable, and which gloss the material so that it may be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner brush. Such paints and coatings usually materially impair the acoustical properties of the insulation material, however; and the rough porous surface is often preferable in spite of its disadvantages.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a body of insulation and sound deadening material covered with a screen fabric. This fabric is preferably formed of wire or plastic strands, or resin or glass impregnated or sized textile yarns. The porous surface of the insulation is protected by this screen, and the fibres or particles of insulation material are held in place thereby. At the same time. however, the accoustical properties of the material are not greatly reduced by this covering.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an insulation body of a porous character having a surface which is capable of deadening sound; and to provide a covering for this surface which will leave exposed most of the surface of the insulation. This covering is in the form of a screen fabric of the type described, which may be kept clean with a damp cloth or through the use of a vacuum cleaner brush without deleterious effects upon the insulation body. As a result. the product has the acoustical advantages of a rough, porous surfaced material, and at the same time will avoid the previous difiiculties which have been experienced in products of this type in keeping the surface free of dust and dirt.

I have found in my experiments that the size of mesh of the screen has a considerable effect upon the resonance of the material. Large mesh screen will produce a different resonance effect from smaller mesh screen. Similarly, the material of which the screen is formed has a material eifect on the resonance of tones, Accordingly, by producing my product through the use of screens of different mesh sizes and of different materials, certain pitches of tones may be emphusized or deadened. to suit each individual use oi desire.

it is a feature of my invention that my material may be either formed in long strips, using plain or decorated screen fabrics, or preferably may be formed in panels, and applied in this form to the surface to be covered. These panels may be all alike in color and in design, or may be varied to provide a mosaic effect. The color of alternate panels may vary, or the direction of the individual wires. strands. or yarns of the panels may be varied to provide a more interesting design to the finished ceiling or wall.

I have found that my screen fabric also assists in strengthening the panels of insulation which otherwise might be quite soft and not very rigid. For example, bats. strips, or blocks of glass, rock, or mineral wool, felt. cork, or other porous material may be covered with the screen fabric covering, and the rigidity of the finished product is considerably improved. The screen fabric provides a surface which is slippery and easily cleanable. and has a decorative effect which cannot be easily provided in the insulation material alone.

It is a feature of my invention that my insulating and acoustical material may be applied to new structures by nailing or otherwise securing the material to lathing or studding, or may be applied over old wall surfaces. The material may be applied by nailing, or by adhering the same to an old wall surface. It may also be applied through the use of strips covering the juncture between the insulation strips or blocks and nailed to the wall. Combinations of these methods may also be used.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and full set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawing forming a part of my specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an insulation and acoustical block having a screen fabric covering.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through a block and through the ceiling, showing one manner of adhering the block in place.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through the edge of a block of insulation and acoustical material, showing a manner of securing the block in place.

Figure 4 is a view taken sectionally through the edge of a block or strip, showing the screen fabric extending partially over the edge of the same.

Figure 5 is a sectional view similar to Figure 4, showing a slightly different form of block construction.

Figure 6 is a plan view of a surface covered with a series of blocks of my covered insulation and acoustical material.

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figures 4 and 5, showing another form of construction thereof.

Figure 8 is a plan view of a strip of insulation material having a screen fabric covering containing a pattern or design.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a series of blocks arranged in a design.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the block construction as illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawing.

In Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawing, I have illustrated a block of insulation and acoustical material l which may be formed of glass, rock, or mineral wool formed into a rigid or semirigid block. This block may also be formed of granular material such as cork or the like, or may be a felt material.

Extending over a flat surface of the block I0 I provide a covering of screen fabric H. This fabric is preferably folded over the sides of the block, providing edge enclosing flanges 12, as best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing.

The uncovered surface l3 of the block may be adhered to the wall or ceiling surface I4 by an adhesive 15, if it is so desired. This adhesive may be any suitable adhesive or cement capable of holding the blocks firmly against the backing surface. Nails or strips may be employed to supplement the adhesive if necessary or desired.

As shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, nails such as 16 may be used to hold the block A in place. The heads I! of the nails l6 provide a means of holding the blocks by engaging the outer surface of the screen fabric. The screen thus forms an anchor for the nail heads, to prevent the relatively soft material forming the block [0 from pulling through or away from the nail.

In Figure 4 of the drawing I have illustrated a block [9 of insulation and acoustical material similar to the block"). This block, illustrated generally by the letter B, is provided with a screen fabric covering 20 on one surface, which is provided with edge flanges l8 which extend a portion of the thickness of the block IS. The screen fabric 20, like the screen fabric l i, may be formed of wire or plastic strands, or resin or glas impregnated or sized textile yarns.

In Figure of the drawing a. slightly different form of construction is disclosed. A block 2| is provided similar to the insulation blocks l0 and I9. This panel, designated in general by the letter C, includes a screen fabric covering 22 on one surface thereof. Side flanges of the covering material, such as 23, extend along and enclose the edges of the block, and marginal flanges 24 are folded over the rear surface of the block.

In Figures '7 and of the drawing, I disclose a panel D which is similar to the panels previously described. A block of insulating material 25, similar to the block I0, is covered by a screen fabric covering of material similar to the covering II. This covering 26 extends over a surface of the block 25, and side flanges 21 extend over the edges of the block. Attaching flanges 29 of the screen fabric extend laterally from two or more edges of the block, as illustrated. These two flanges 29 may be attached to the wall or ceiling surface, and may be concealed by the next adjacent panel D when it is applied.

Figures 6, 8, and 9 disclose different ways of arranging the covered insulating material. In Figure 6 I disclose a series of blocks, indicated by the numeral 30, which are alternated with blocks indicated by the numeral 3| to form a mosaic effect. The panels 30 have the wires or yarns forming the screen fabric extending parallel to the edges of the panels, while the panels 3| have the wires, strands, or yarns extending diagonally with respect to the edges of the panels. The panels 30 and 3| may be any of the panels previously described; the different directions in which the wires. strands, or yarns extend changing the appearance of alternate panels.

Figure 8 shows an elongated strip of insulating material covered with the screen fabric strip 32. The strip 32 is provided with a recurring design 33 similar to that which may be found on wallpaper or the like.

Figure 9 show a series of panels 34 alternated with panels 35 of a different color or design to provide a mosaic effect. The panels may be of similar or of different mesh, and may be colored differently, or may have a somewhat different design formed thereupon.

When applied, the surface of the insulation may be wiped off with a damp cloth, or may be cleaned through the use of a vacuum cleaner brush or other brush. The screen fabric holds the insulation in place and prevents the surface from being injured by contact therewith. At the same time, however, most of the surface is left uncovered, so that the acoustical properties of the panel are not materially reduced. By regulating the size of mesh of the screen, the resonance properties of the panel may be varied.

With certain types of compactions, such as those which are flexible, the panel may be readily bent or formed to fit around projections, corners, and the like. The screen fabric bends in unison with the compaction and reinforces the same. This quality of the panel makes the same applicable over uneven or curved surfaces, allowing the entire surface covered to have a uniform appearance.

The insulation and sound deadening material may be rigid and hard, or fairly soft. It may be a batting, a felt, or a board formed of fibrous or granular material, with or without a binder. For the purpose of simplicity, I use the term compaction to define the insulating and sound deadening material.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction of my insulating and acoustical covering, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claim without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

An insulation and acoustical panel comprising a compaction of insulating and acoustical material in slab form having opposed substantially parallel surfaces and rectangularly arranged connecting edges, a screen panel extending over one surface of said compaction completely covering the same, a flange of screen material connected to said screen panel along two adjoining edges thereof, said flanges terminating with the edges substantially flush with the other surface of said compaction, integral flanges of screen material on said screen panel extending over the remaining adjoining edges of said compaction, all of said flanges being of a size substantially equal to the area of the connecting edges of said compaction, and attaching flanges of screen material integral with the last named flanges of screen material extending outwardly from said compaction and coplanar with said other surface of said compaction.

PHILIP J. STIEGER. 

